Process and device for in-air production of single droplets, compound droplets, and shape-controlled (compound) particles or fibers

Abstract

A production process and a related device comprises a formation process comprising: contacting a first liquid material and a second liquid material with each other at a contact point in a gas atmosphere, wherein at the contact point at least one of the first liquid material and the second liquid material is provided as a liquid jet propagating in a direction, to provide at the contact point a third jet of a coalesced third material propagating in a third direction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for a production process comprising a formation process, the device comprising:
 a first liquid container configured to contain a first device liquid comprising a first device liquid material, in fluid connection with a first liquid providing device comprising a first device opening; 
 a second liquid container configured to contain a second device liquid comprising a second device liquid material, in fluid connection with a second liquid providing device comprising a second device opening; 
 a first liquid transporter configured to transport the first device liquid from the first liquid container to the first liquid providing device and through the first device opening; and 
 a second liquid transporter configured to transport the second device liquid from the second liquid container to the second liquid providing device to provide a second device liquid jet comprising the second device liquid material through the second device opening, propagating in a direction; 
 wherein the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device are configured for providing the first device liquid and the second device liquid contacting each other at a contact point, wherein the second liquid providing device comprises a second device face and said second device opening, wherein the first device opening is directed to the second device face to provide the first device liquid to the second device face; 
 wherein one or more of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device comprises an actuator comprising an element configured to vibrate; 
 and wherein the element is configured to vibrate at a frequency selected from the range of 0.1 Hz-100 MHz. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of a position of the first device opening and a position of the second device opening is controllable, wherein the device further comprises an actuator configured to control one or more of the position of the first device opening and the position of the second device opening. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth liquid container configured to contain a fourth device liquid comprising a fourth device liquid material, in fluid connection with a fourth liquid providing device comprising a fourth device opening, a fourth liquid transporter configured to transport the fourth device liquid from the fourth liquid container to the fourth liquid providing device and through the fourth device opening to provide a fourth device liquid jet, wherein the fourth device opening is directed to a second virtual collision point downstream of said contact point. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a receptor element configured to receive a product of a formation process executed with the device, wherein the device is configured for 3D-printing a 3D-printed object, the device further comprising an actuator configured to move the receptor element, selected from the group consisting of a mold and a substrate, during execution of the formation process. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first device opening is configured to be in physical contact with the second device face. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 5 , wherein one or more of a position of the first device opening and a position of the second device opening is controllable, wherein the device further comprises an actuator configured to control one or more of the position of the first device opening and the position of the second device opening. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a fourth liquid container configured to contain a fourth device liquid comprising a fourth device liquid material, in fluid connection with a fourth liquid providing device comprising a fourth device opening, a fourth liquid transporter configured to transport the fourth device liquid from the fourth liquid container to the fourth liquid providing device and through the fourth device opening to provide a fourth device liquid jet, wherein the fourth device opening is directed to a second virtual collision point downstream of said contact point. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a receptor element configured to receive a product of a formation process executed with the device, wherein the device is configured for 3D-printing a 3D-printed object, the device further comprising an actuator configured to move the receptor element, selected from the group consisting of a mold and a substrate, during execution of the formation process. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth liquid container configured to contain a fourth device liquid comprising a fourth device liquid material, in fluid connection with a fourth liquid providing device comprising a fourth device opening, a fourth liquid transporter configured to transport the fourth device liquid from the fourth liquid container to the fourth liquid providing device and through the fourth device opening to provide a fourth device liquid jet, wherein the fourth device opening is directed to a second virtual collision point downstream of said contact point. 
     
     
       10. A device for a production process comprising a formation process, the device comprising:
 a first liquid container configured to contain a first device liquid comprising a first device liquid material, in fluid connection with a first liquid providing device comprising a first device opening; 
 a second liquid container configured to contain a second device liquid comprising a second device liquid material, in fluid connection with a second liquid providing device comprising a second device opening; 
 a first liquid transporter configured to transport the first device liquid from the first liquid container to the first liquid providing device and through the first device opening to provide a first device liquid jet comprising the first device liquid; and 
 a second liquid transporter configured to transport the second device liquid from the second liquid container to the second liquid providing device and through the second device opening to provide a second device liquid jet comprising the second device liquid; 
 wherein at least one of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device is configured to provide the respective device liquid material as a liquid jet propagating in a direction; 
 wherein the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device are configured for providing the first device liquid and the second device liquid contacting each other at a contact point; 
 wherein one or more of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device comprises an actuator comprising an element configured to vibrate; 
 wherein the element is configured to vibrate at a frequency selected from the range of 0.1 Hz-100 MHz; 
 wherein the first device opening and the second device opening are directed to a virtual collision point in line of sight of both device openings; 
 wherein the contact point comprises the virtual collision point; 
 wherein the device is configured to provide one or more of said modulated first device liquid jet and second device liquid jet with the respective jet having a variable width (W j ) in a direction perpendicular to a respective jet direction; 
 wherein the device is configured to provide one or more of said modulated first device liquid jet and second device liquid jet with the respective jet breaking into subunits after a breaking length determined from the respective device opening, and 
 wherein the breaking length is equal to or shorter than a distance from the respective device opening to the virtual collision point. 
 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more of a position of the first device opening and a position of the second device opening is controllable, wherein the device further comprises an actuator configured to control one or more of the position of the first device opening and the position of the second device opening. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a fourth liquid container configured to contain a fourth device liquid comprising a fourth device liquid material, in fluid connection with a fourth liquid providing device comprising a fourth device opening, a fourth liquid transporter configured to transport the fourth device liquid from the fourth liquid container to the fourth liquid providing device and through the fourth device opening to provide a fourth device liquid jet, wherein the fourth device opening is directed to a second virtual collision point downstream of said contact point. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 10  further comprising a receptor element configured to receive a product of a formation process executed with the device, wherein the device is configured for 3D-printing a 3D-printed object, the device further comprising an actuator configured to move the receptor element, selected from the group consisting of a mold and a substrate, during execution of the formation process. 
     
     
       14. A device for a production process comprising a formation process, the device comprising:
 a first liquid container configured to contain a first device liquid comprising a first device liquid material, in fluid connection with a first liquid providing device comprising a first device opening; 
 a second liquid container configured to contain a second device liquid comprising a second device liquid material, in fluid connection with a second liquid providing device comprising a second device opening; 
 a first liquid transporter configured to transport the first device liquid from the first liquid container to the first liquid providing device and through the first device opening; and 
 a second liquid transporter configured to transport the second device liquid from the second liquid container to the second liquid providing device and through the second device opening; 
 wherein at least one of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device is configured to provide the respective device liquid material as a liquid jet propagating in a direction; 
 wherein the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device are configured for providing the first device liquid and the second device liquid contacting each other at a contact point; 
 wherein one or more of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device comprises an actuator comprising an element configured to vibrate; 
 wherein the element is configured to vibrate at a frequency selected from the range of 0.1 Hz-100 MHz; 
 wherein one or more of a position of the first device opening and a position of the second device opening is controllable; and 
 wherein the device further comprises an actuator configured to control one or more of the position of the first device opening and the position of the second device opening. 
 
     
     
       15. The device according to  claim 14 , further comprising a receptor element configured to receive a product of a formation process executed with the device, wherein the device is configured for 3D-printing a 3D-printed object, the device further comprising an actuator configured to move the receptor element, selected from the group consisting of a mold and a substrate, during execution of the formation process. 
     
     
       16. A device for a production process comprising a formation process, the device comprising:
 a first liquid container configured to contain a first device liquid comprising a first device liquid material, in fluid connection with a first liquid providing device comprising a first device opening; 
 a second liquid container configured to contain a second device liquid comprising a second device liquid material, in fluid connection with a second liquid providing device comprising a second device opening; 
 a first liquid transporter configured to transport the first device liquid from the first liquid container to the first liquid providing device and through the first device opening to provide a first device liquid jet comprising the first device liquid; and 
 a second liquid transporter configured to transport the second device liquid from the second liquid container to the second liquid providing device and through the second device opening to provide a second device liquid jet comprising the second device liquid; 
 wherein at least one of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device is configured to provide the respective device liquid material as a liquid jet propagating in a direction; 
 wherein the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device are configured for providing the first device liquid and the second device liquid contacting each other at a contact point, wherein one or more of the first liquid providing device and the second liquid providing device comprises an actuator comprising an element configured to vibrate, and wherein the element is configured to vibrate at a frequency selected from the range of 0.1 Hz-100 MHz; 
 wherein the first device opening and the second device opening are directed to a virtual collision point in line of sight of both device openings; 
 wherein the contact point comprises the virtual collision point; 
 wherein one or more of a position of the first device opening and a position of the second device opening is controllable; and 
 wherein the device further comprises an actuator configured to control one or more of the position of the first device opening and the position of the second device opening.